A nephew of Sam Muchnick, the late legendary wrestling promoter, Irvin Muchnick has written about pro wrestling behind the scenes for more than 20 years for publications as diverse as The New York Times, The Washington Monthly, and an online magazine published by the Museum of Sex.

Muchnick’s People magazine article on Hulk Hogan blew the lid off the drug abuse of the sport’s signature superstar. His award-winning Penthouse profile of the ill-starred Von Erich clan was the first to connect the dots between wrestling, televangelism, and MTV-style production values. His never-before-published investigation of the death of Jimmy (Superfly) Snuka’s girlfriend suggests the cover-up of a murder.

The book’s appendix – a comprehensive listing of the dozens of wrestlers who died prematurely over the last generation, with little or no attention, all for our guilty pleasure – is both a valuable resource for wrestling historians and a shocking document of the ruthless way sports entertainment eats its own.

Publishers Weekly recently recognized ECW Press (http://ecwpress.com) as one of the fastest growing and most diversified independent publishers in North America.

Irv says:

Investigative journalism is not “peer-reviewed scientific literature.” It is a contact sport. My version of it favors transparent and interactive relationships with readers and sources. I also recognize that backstories and their interpretation are organic; I strive for what is, at best, the second draft of history.